Once upon a time in a small village in ancient Vietnam, there lived a humble, hardworking farmer named Khoai. He worked tirelessly for a wealthy but miserly landowner, never once complaining about his difficult life. Recognizing Khoai’s honesty and dedication, the landowner came up with a deceitful plan to take advantage of him without offering any true reward. One day, he said to Khoai, “If you work hard for three years, I will give you my daughter’s hand in marriage.” Trusting the promise, Khoai committed himself wholeheartedly. He plowed fields, harvested crops, and brought in abundant rice, enriching the landowner’s fortune.
But when the three years had passed, Khoai’s heart was shattered. The landowner broke his word and devised an impossible challenge instead. “To marry my daughter, you must find a bamboo tree with one hundred joints,” he said smugly, knowing such a tree did not exist. Despite the absurdity, Khoai did not argue. He quietly set out on a journey, determined to fulfill the condition. He wandered through dense forests, climbed hills, and searched far and wide, but no bamboo tree with a hundred joints could be found. Exhausted and heartbroken, Khoai sat down and wept beneath the shade of a tree.
Suddenly, a kind old man appeared and asked, “Why are you crying, son?” With respect and humility, Khoai shared his sorrowful story. The old man, who was in truth a magical spirit, gently smiled and said, “Go and collect one hundred bamboo joints and bring them back here.” Clinging to the only hope he had left, Khoai followed the old man’s advice. When he returned with the pieces, the old man whispered to him a secret magical chant:
“Khắc nhập, khắc nhập!” - "Join together! Join together!"to make the bamboo joints fuse into one complete tree.
“Khắc xuất, khắc xuất!” - "Separate! Separate!" to separate them back into pieces.
Khoai thanked the old man and hurried back to the landowner’s house. But when he arrived, he was stunned to see that the landowner had already arranged for his daughter to marry another man. Furious but composed, Khoai laid the bamboo joints on the ground and called for the landowner. When the man came out, he sneered and said, “I told you to find a tree with one hundred joints, not a pile of sticks!”
Khoai calmly recited the magical words, “Khắc nhập, khắc nhập!” Before everyone’s eyes, the bamboo pieces joined together into one tall, unbroken bamboo tree. The landowner, overcome by curiosity and fear, reached out to touch it and instantly became stuck. His servants, trying to help, were also glued to the tree. Panic spread through the household. The landowner, now terrified, begged Khoai for forgiveness and promised to honor his original commitment.
Moved by the change of heart, Khoai recited, “Khắc xuất, khắc xuất!” and at once, the landowner and his servants were freed. True to his word this time, the landowner arranged for his daughter to marry Khoai. The wedding took place, and the couple lived happily ever after.
This ancient Vietnamese tale remains a powerful reminder of essential life values. Those who break their word will eventually face the consequences. Honesty, perseverance, and hard work never go unrewarded. In life, what we give, whether good or bad, inevitably comes back to us. These timeless lessons continue to resonate with generations, reminding us of the enduring power of truth and justice.